On February 6, 2023, Türkiye experienced two significant earthquakes with magnitudes 7.7 Mw and 7.6 Mw at 04:17 Türkiye Standard Time (TRT) (01:17 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)) and 13:24 TRT (10:24 UTC), respectively, centered in Kahramanmaraş. The study aims to review the immediate aftermath of these earthquakes, their impact on health services, and the potential threats of infection due to these catastrophic events in Türkiye. Eleven provinces in the southeastern region of Türkiye, as well as areas in the northwestern region of Syria, suffered severe damage. Aftershocks continue, though with decreasing intensity. Thousands of structures, including crucial infrastructure, were destroyed. Approximately 15 million people in Türkiye and 10.87 million people in Syria were severely affected. About 200.000 people were injured, and more than 50.000 people died due to the earthquakes. Roughly 500.000 people fled from the earthquake-affected region to western cities. The rescue operations were completed within two weeks. The earthquake and its aftershocks, compounded by winter conditions, left thousands of people homeless in the region. Intensive efforts were initiated to address the health care, medicine, shelter, nutrition, sanitation, and other needs of the earthquake victims. In the upcoming days, earthquake survivors may face significant risks of infections, including airborne, food-borne, and water-borne infections, as well as nosocomial infections from resistant bacteria and parasitic infections. Identifying the risk factors that underlie the emergence and transmission of communicable diseases can enhance the development and implementation of more effective preventive measures. Currently, safety, security, mitigation, and infection control activities are essential to help restore daily life in the region.

Objective: To examine the in vitro antifungal effects of water-soluble pure elemental boron with an alkaline solution against Candida species, Trichophyton species, and Aspergillus fumigatus that cause superficial mycosis. Method: The study was conducted at the microbiology laboratory of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey, from June to December 2018, and comprised fungal strains isolated from patients with superficial mycosis who visited the dermatology clinic. The in vitro antifungal effects of the boron solution at various concentrations were determined using the microbroth dilution method. Candida albicans ATTC 90028 and Candida albicans MYA 274 served as the quality control strains, while fluconazole and amphotericin B were used as comparator antifungal agents. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Results: Of the 58 strains, 28(48.3%) were Candida albicans, 9(15.5%) non-Candida albicans, 12(20.7%) Trichophyton rubrum, 4(6.9%) Trichophyton mentagrophytes, 2(3.4%) Trichophyton species, and 3(5.2%) were Aspergillus fumigates. Boron at a concentration of 78.125µg/mL inhibited the growth of Candida albicans. The 50% and 90% minimum inhibitory concentrations of the solution in non-Candida albicans were 78.125 and 312.5µg/mL, respectively, whereas those in Trichophyton rubrum were 312.5 and 625µg/mL, respectively. The 50% minimum inhibitory concentration of the solution in Aspergillus fumigatus was 625µg/mL, whereas the 90% minimum inhibitory concentration could not be determined. Conclusion: Boron is an inexpensive, non-antibiotic element with potential uses as an antifungal agent. Key Words: Antifungal agents, Antimicrobial susceptibility, Boron, Superficial mycoses, Minimum inhibitory concentration.

İlk kez 2009 yılında tanımlanan Candida auris, çeşitli ülkelerde salgınlara neden olmasından dolayı önem kazanmış yeni bir patojendir. Enfeksiyona bağlı tedavi zorlukları, yüksek ölüm oranları ve direnç özellikleri nedeni ile dünyanın en korkulan 10 mantarı arasında yerini almıştır. Bugüne kadar ülkemizde bildirilen tüm olgular İstanbul ve İzmir'den bildirilmiş olup, olgumuz Anadolu'da tespit edilen ilk C. auris fungemi olgusudur. Bu çalışmada C. auris'e bağlı bir kandidemi olgusu ve C. auris'in neden olduğu enfeksiyonlar, risk faktörleri, tanımlama yöntemleri ve tedavi seçeneklerindeki sınırlamalar tartışılmıştır.

This study aimed to identify glycopeptide resistance genes and virulence factors in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species and to investigate the influence of the microbiota and hospital environment on glycopeptide resistance. A total of 107 enterococcal isolates were collected from patients’ rectal swab cultures and environmental samples taken for surveillance purposes. Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis was conducted to investigate specific virulence genes (esp, hyl, asa1, cyl, and galE) and glycopeptide resistance genes (vanA, vanB, van C1-C2, van D, vanE, and vanG). Additionally, perirectal swab cultures were obtained from patients without vancomycin-resistant enterococcal colonization to investigate the presence of glycopeptide resistance genes in their microbiota. Seven isolates (6.5%) were identified as infectious agents. The most common vancomycin resistance genes were vanA (23.3%), followed by vanA + vanB (14%) and vanB + vanD (14%), respectively. The Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Polymerase Chain Reaction (RAPD-PCR) method showed that patient surveillance and environmental isolates were clonally related. Moreover, microbiota analysis of patients without vancomycin-resistant enterococcal colonization revealed Clostridium spp. in two patients and Lactobacillus spp. in one patient, with the vanG gene found in the microbiota of only one (2.5%) patient. The detection of genes responsible for dissemination indicates that colonized isolates also have the potential for infection, and the hospital environment plays a primary role in the acquisition of vancomycin-resistant enterococci.

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, cinsel olarak aktif kadın hastalardan alınan servikal örneklerde human papillomavirüs DNA pozitifliğini araştırmak; genotiplerinin belirlenmesi ve Papanicolaou yayma ve kolposkopik biyopsi sonuçları ile karşılaştırılmasıdır. Yöntemler: Çalışmaya üçüncü basamak bir hastanenin kadın hastalıkları ve doğum polikliniğine Kasım 2020-Ekim 2021 tarihleri arasında başvuran 18 yaş ve üzeri cinsel yönden aktif kadın hastalar dahil edildi. Servikal örneklerden human papillomavirüs DNA'nın kalitatif tespiti için in vitro real-time insan papillomavirüs PCR yöntemi kullanıldı. Patoloji laboratuvarına gönderilen ve Papanicolaou sitoloji protokolüne göre boyanan serviks örnekleri ve hematoksilen-eozin ile boyanan kolposkopik biyopsi örnekleri deneyimli bir patolog tarafından değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya alınan 383 kadın hastanın 19 (%4,9)'unda human papillomavirüs 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66, 67 ve 68 genotiplerinden biri izole edildi. Beş (%26,3) hastada human papillomavirüs 16, bir (%5,2) hastada human papillomavirüs 18 ve kalan 13 (%68,4) hastada diğer yüksek riskli 13 tipten biri tespit edildi. Düşük riskli human papillomavirüs genotipi saptanan kadınların yaş ortalaması 43,41±9,90 yıl, human papillomavirüs yüksek risk genotip saptanan kadınların yaş ortalaması ise 41,79±8,70 yıl olarak bulundu. Bethesda 14 sınıflamasına göre 354 hastada normal sitoloji saptanırken, 19 (%5)'unda ASC-US, 2 (%0,5)’sinde ASC-H, 2 (%0,5)’sinde LSIL, 2(%0,5)’sinde HSIL, 3 (%0,8)'ünde AGC ve bir (%0,3) hastada adenokarsinoma in situ tespit edildi. Human papillomavirüs genotip16 saptanan 5 hastadan 1 (%20)’inin sitolojisinde AGC ve 1 (%20)'inde ASC-H saptanırken, 3 (%60) hasta normal olarak değerlendirildi. Human papillomavirüs genotip18 saptanan bir hastanın sitoloji incelemesinde ise patoloji saptanmadı. On üç hastadan izole edilen diğer yüksek riskli insan papillomavirüs genotiplerinin sitolojik incelemesinde; 3 (%23) hastada ASC-US, 1 (%7,6) hastada HSIL ve 9 (%69,2) hastada normal sonuçlar elde edildi. Sitoloji bulguları normal ve human papillomavirüs 16 pozitif olan hastaların biyopsi incelemesinde; Bir hastada CIN 1 ve CIN 2, HPV 18 pozitif bir hastada CIN 3 ve diğer HR-HPV hastalarından birinde skuamöz hücreli karsinom tespit edildi. Sonuç: Kanser taramalarında ve hasta takiplerinde sitolojik incelemeler moleküler çalışmalarla birlikte değerlendirilmelidir. Bu çalışmalar aynı zamanda bölgesel epidemiyolojik verilerin elde edilmesine de katkı sağlayacaktır.

Purpose: Cryptosporidiosis is a self-limiting infection in individuals with immune competence, but it can have serious and life-threatening consequences in the elderly and immune-compromised individuals. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and other intestinal parasites and their relationship with symptoms in elderly patients. Materials and Methods: The distribution of Cryptosporidium spp. and other intestinal parasites was prospectively evaluated in elderly patients admitted to different clinics of the university hospital between September 2018 and September 2019. The study group included 40 elderly patients (18 females and 22 males; mean age: 73.35 ±6.55years) with gastrointestinal complaints and a control group consisting of 44 elderly patients without gastrointestinal complaints. Stool samples were examined using wet mount, and Kinyoun acid fast staining. Results: The most frequently isolated parasites were amoeba cysts and trophozoites in elderly patients. Cryptosporidium spp. cysts were detected in 9 (22.5%) of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, and in 13 (40.6%) of those with other complaints and in the control group. Cryptosporidium spp. cysts were found more common in those with a solid stool consistency than others with a watery stool consistency. Conclusion: Cryptosporidiosis could be a life-threatening condition in a high-risk population, such as the elderly with co-morbidities, and physicians should have increased awareness.